Scott Spicher, Executive Director of the St Elizabeth Healthcare Honor Run Half Marathon, came to the regular Florence City Council meeting last week to present a check for $50,000 to Cheryl Popp, chairman of the board of the Honor Flight Tristate.
Each year for the last seven years, Spicher, the founder of the half marathon, has organized a 13.1 mile run in Florence in November as a fundraiser for Honor Flight Tristate. The organization sends veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam to Washington DC for the day to see the war memorials from the wars they fought in. They also provide funds to fix the houses of local veterans.
Since its inception in 2014, the Honor Run Half Marathon has donated $300,000 to Honor Flight, which has served 534 veterans. During the years, 7,789 participants have run in the half marathon.
Councilman David A. Osborne, a WWII veteran, was one of the veterans who took the flight.
“Words cannot express the dedication that these people have and they give to this community,” he said. “I didn’t come out to the race this year, because it was cold out there. I hope you continue to do what you do, because people are interested in flying on those planes.”
Spicher thanked Mayor Diane Whalen, and told her this whole thing might not have happened without her initial vision and support.
“You will be greatly missed,” he told her.
After a brief applause, Whalen said she knows a good idea when she hears it.
“It is a true team effort, and I appreciate everyone who gets out and runs,” Whalen said.
Every department in the Florence government takes part in this race in some way, Spicher said, and he appreciates the support of the entire government.
Other topics of note discussed at council meeting
Council passed a resolution to approve an agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the city of Florence for the Weaver Road sidewalk to be a federal project, approved for $245,000 by the Federal Highway Administration.
The sidewalk from the fire station to Saddlebrook Lane is the final piece of the puzzle in completing sidewalks on Weaver, said Public Works Director Eric Hall.
Sidewalks along Weaver have been a priority since March 12, 2015, when Charles Naiper, his daughter Susan Elam, 13-month-old twins Sean and Samantha May, and a third child, Ethan May, were walking along Weaver when a woman lost control of her car and swerved into the group, hitting the pedestrians. Napier and the twins were killed instantly.
Council also passed the second reading of an ordinance that approves a zoning map amendment for a special sign district for the new Turfway Park.
